Chapter 41

———— On New Year's Eve, most of the kids should be with their loved ones... Here, I wish everyone a happy Year of the Sheep, good health, and all the best ————

《Yahoo News》: Gakki Matsumoto officially signs with Kawaue Hane, becoming his fourth client!

《Weekly Bungei Shunju》: Young agent Kawaue Hane takes the most important step towards his dream!

《Entertainment Weekly》: Legend? Farce?

《Google Entertainment》: Young agent officially signs with LESPROS agency.

Fuji TV:

Kawaue Hane, Ueda Ken's bold gamble...

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The next day, major news media outlets reported on Kawaue Hane's signing with the LESPROS agency.

Most media outlets took a wait-and-see attitude, with only a few, such as Weekly Bungei Shunju and Daily Entertainment, maintaining an optimistic stance.

However, a media commentator named Matsuoka Roushun criticized LESPROS' approach, arguing that it was not worth making a big fuss over a young agent. In the context of the entertainment industry in Japan, it is the agency, not the agent, that truly determines an artist's development.

Of course, this was not the most attention-grabbing news. The most attention-grabbing was Kawaue Hane's speech at the end of the press conference, explaining why he chose to become a professional agent.

On the same day, SWEETPOWER agency's spokesperson announced that SWEETPOWER and LESPROS agencies had officially formed a strategic alliance, and that SWEETPOWER's artists would sign with Kawaue Hane at LESPROS.

This news immediately caused a stir in the industry and public opinion. Hori Kitami's popularity is unmatched by others; she is a rising star in the entertainment industry, and her every move is closely watched by many peers, business partners, and fans.

At the height of her career, she decided to switch to a completely unknown and inexperienced new agent, which naturally raised strong doubts from the outside... Some even suspected that there might be some unspeakable deal behind the scenes. Hori Kitami's fans questioned the agency, and at 3 PM, Hori Kitami personally clarified the news. She hoped that her fans would give Kawaue Hane some time, and she believed that Kawaue Hane could help her achieve a new breakthrough in her career. Only then did the fans feel somewhat reassured...

On March 28th, another highly anticipated artist under Kawaue Hane, Gakki Matsumoto, officially opened her Facebook account. Her first post was a photo of herself with Hori Kitami, Hoshino Mami, Itano Tomomi, and Saito Mariko. Leveraging the success of her recent photo book and the recent controversy surrounding Kawaue Hane and Hori Kitami's signing, Gakki Matsumoto's Facebook fans surpassed 10,000 in just one day.

On the same day, Facebook's external communications manager, Phil Dale, announced that Hoshino Mami, Hoshino Mami, Saito Mariko, Gakki Matsumoto, and Hori Kitami would become the only five brand ambassadors for Facebook in Asia! Additionally, these five members would have the opportunity to study in the United States and receive professional training from the best teams in the U.S...

Once Facebook's announcement was made, the doubts about Kawaue Hane significantly decreased. Although there were still some minor doubts, more people saw Kawaue Hane's efficient and decisive approach. Meanwhile, Kawaue Hane began looking for an office for his agency...

Ueda Ken and Okada Naoyumi, who were initially worried, finally felt relieved...

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Kawaue Hane ignored the outside noise and was now considering Hori Kitami's situation.

In April, Hori Kitami and Yamashita Tomohisa's drama "Fraud Hunter" would officially air, and there would be various promotional activities. As Hori Kitami's agent, he would inevitably have to deal with the giant Johnny's & Associates.

At the end of April, Hori Kitami would also participate in the filming of several variety shows, and he would have to be there as well.

May would be a relatively relaxed time for Hori Kitami, but she would still have to film a drama for the agency.

"Ah... President Okada, this is a problem... Hori Kitami is doing so well, and she decides to change agents... I can't believe she thought of this." Kawaue Hane shook his head with a bitter smile.

Fortunately, it was only March, and he had a transition period to adapt. Otherwise, he would have become a laughingstock.

Compared to Hori Kitami, Gakki Matsumoto, due to the success of her recent photo book, began to receive attention, but no other TV or film directors had shown interest in her yet. She also had a drama airing in April, called "Gals' Boss," which would premiere one day after "Fraud Hunter"...

Kawaue Hane, who was initially happy about Gakki Matsumoto's light schedule, almost fainted...

"Damn April!"

In contrast, Hoshino Mami, Itano Tomomi, and Saito Mariko had almost no other activities in April, aside from theater performances. This gave Kawaue Hane some breathing room.

The last day of March arrived, and the first graduate of AKB48 in Akihabara was born.

Usami Yuki, a girl from Saitama, after careful consideration, decided to officially graduate from AKB48.

Her teammates did not stop her, the big sister who had been with them for over four months, and they could not stop her...

Amidst tears and applause, the girl left the stage where she had fought for four months...

The girls of Team A did not have time to cry, as their opponents were about to arrive—the second-generation members, specifically created to compete with the first-generation members! They quietly wiped away their tears and waited for their opponents...

The K team, composed of second-generation members, would welcome their first performance on the first day of April. After more than a month of intense training, these girls were finally stepping onto the stage they had long dreamed of! During this month, they had cried, argued, and laughed... But when it was time to end this unforgettable journey, they were a bit reluctant...